April 2, 2020

Books N Brewz Pizzeria won’t make its one-year anniversary.

The combination bookstore, bar and restaurant at the corner of Eighth Street and Weber Avenue is closing Friday.

“We’re going to be too far behind if and when this ends,” owner Angela Kull said of the social distancing caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. “We were primarily a music venue, but with the stage closed … I didn’t plan on doing a carryout pizza business and having that sustain it.”

Kull fired up the former Breadico pizza oven when she took over the vacant space in the historic building next to the railroad tracks in April 2019. She tied the former Breadico on one side of the building into the former Fernson on 8th taproom on the other side, creating a nook upstairs for book clubs to gather and a spacious bar on the main floor where patrons could enjoy a pint of beer or a glass of wine, eat a wood-fired pizza and listen to live music or sing karaoke.

“We had quite a few book clubs,” she said. “We were supposed to have one today. They called to make sure they could still have carryout because they’re still meeting at someone’s house.”

Books N Brewz Pizzeria offered open mic nights twice a week, but it wasn’t able to get Dave Matthews up on stage when the musician hung out for a few hours one night after a concert in the city.

“Some of his crew was along, and they were singing karaoke by the end,” Kull said. “He was just dancing all over.”

The bar also hosted open mic comedy nights, paranormal storytelling and two weddings in the past year.

“We’ve met so many amazing people, and we’ve got so many friends from it,” said Kull, whose boyfriend, Travis Graham, joined her in running the business. “Knowing how it ended, I don’t know if I would have invested all of that.”

She’s focusing on wrapping up the final days – the pizzeria will be open for curbside pickup from 3 to 9 p.m. today and from 3 p.m. until the pizzas are sold out Friday. The final day’s charge for food will be a freewill donation, Kull said. The music will go out with a final Facebook Live performance by Witt Hdykitt/Victor Faini from 6 to 8 p.m. and possibly longer if enough viewers are watching, she said.

Beyond that, Kull doesn’t know what the future will hold.

“I don’t know what I’m going to do when I grow up. Probably be a nurse again, but I’m going to take a minute.”

The building is listed for lease with Paul Gourley of Harr & Lemme Commercial Real Estate.